The Running Bibliophile

Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi  was published on March 11, 2025 by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Bantam. It opens with Claire finding out that her fiancé, Noah, isn't working where he said he was and is now ghosting her. Claire must find out why. Book Review: Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Bantam for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Claire Darling by Callie Kazumi for free in exchange for my honest review. I was absolutely thrilled when my request for a copy was approved because the synopsis was so good. From the beginning, I absolutely loved the main character of Claire and her work friend named Sukhi. Throughout the novel, we learn about Claire's past and how terrible her mother was towards her. I kept hoping that somehow we would learn who Claire's father was and would eventually connect with him. It's really no wonder Claire had no self confidence as an ad...

Book Review: The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel opens in the present day in Florida with Eva Traube Abrams, a semi-retired librarian, falling on a photograph of a book in a magazine. The accompanying article describes the looting of libraries during World War II by the Nazis. Recognizing the book she hasn't seen in sixty-five years, Eva makes plans to fly to Berlin to retrieve it, and ends up reminiscing of her life in Nazi occupied France as a Jewish woman. I recently joined a new book club, and The Book of Lost Names  by Kristin Harmel was the selection for March 2025. I literally only had 2-3 days to read the book before the meeting. Needless to say, I wasn't able to get the entire book read before the meeting, but I did end up finishing the story the day after my book club met.  Let me begin by saying that Kristin Harmel is a talented storyteller and author. I found myself immediately drawn into the story of Eva Traube Abrams...

Murder at the Blarney Bash (Beacon Bakeshop, #5)  by Darci Hannah  opens with Lindsey Bakewell picking up her dog, Welly, from the dog groomers and driving home to prepare for the St. Patrick's Day festivities and parade ending at her bakery. Lindsey is startled when a leprechaun runs into the side of her car and runs off. That night, Rory's uncle Finn tells them that he caught a leprechaun and found its gold. When that same leprechaun is found dead by the mayor, Lindsey knows there is more to the story than meets the eye and has to investigate.  The book club I belong to decided to go with the theme of Ireland for our book club selection for March 2025. Everyone was to choose a book that had something to do with Ireland or the Irish. I chose to read  Murder at the Blarney Bash (Beacon Bakeshop, #5)  by Darci Hannah, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it because it put me in the mood for the upcoming St. Patrick's Day holiday. From the beginning of the story, I wa...

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave (Finlay Donovan, #5) by Elle Cosimano   opens where the last installment ended. Mrs. Haggerty has been arrested after the body of a man was found buried in her back yard but is cleared by the police. Finlay is roped into letting Mrs. Haggerty stay at her house until the utilities are turned back on at Mrs. Haggerty's house. Finlay and Vero are on their best behavior and in no hurry to be involved in another murder but ends up helping to solve who buried the man in Mrs. Haggerty's yard so she can be rid of the old woman. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for approving my request to read Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave (Finlay Donovan, #5) by Elle Cosimano. I received an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) for free in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely loved the fifth installment in this series. The thing I enjoyed the character development of Mrs. Haggerty along with some of her backstory. It gave me a new found respect for ...

I Am Made of Death by Kelly Andrew is a young adult book that is told from the perspective of two different characters. It opens with Thomas Walsh taking a job as an ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter for a mute girl named Vivienne who hasn't spoken since a family vacation gone wrong. Vivi must be accompanied at all times and isn't allowed out after dark. She has decided to take matters into her own hands and have a medically questionable surgery to fix her issue. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of I Am Made of Death by Kelly Andrew for free in exchange for my honest review. This is a book that I wished for, and my wish was granted. To say I was excited is an understatement. The character development for both Thomas and Vivienne was exceptionally good, especially for a YA book. We learn their backstory continuously throughout the storyline, so the development is slow. As for the writing, it was well written...

The Garden by Nick Newman opens with two elderly sisters living alone in their secluded and isolated family home and maintaining their self sufficient farm, beehives, and garden. When a young boy appears at their house without explanation, the sisters look for an explanation on how he got there and the reason why. Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for approving my request for an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Garden by Nick Newman. I received a copy for free in exchange for my honest review. Honestly, I was extremely excited to read this book, but I struggled with even finishing the story because it was slow paced and boring. It seemed pointless, and I expected more of a mystery or more suspense.  Don't get me wrong, it was well written, but it just didn't appeal to me. It reminded me of Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alan, which I disliked immensely. As for the main two characters, Lily and Evelyn, both characters had good and bad qualities, but I found mys...

The Classified Catnapping (Mystery at the Biltmore, #2)  by Colleen Nelson  is the second book in a a children's book series about a girl named Elodie who has her own detective agency called the LaRue Detective Agency. In this latest edition, a movie is being filmed at the Biltmore in New York City, and the lead actor, a cat named Bijou, is missing. Can Elodie find the missing cat before it's too late? I'd like to thank NetGalley and Pajama Press for approving my request to read The Classified Catnapping (Mystery at the Biltmore, #2)  and providing me an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC). I received a copy of this children's book for free in exchange for my honest review. Oh my goodness! I absolutely fell in love with this book. It's super cute and perfect for children between the ages of five years old and eight years old who enjoy whodunits. Surprisingly, the characters are very well developed for a book targeted to younger children, which isn't something you typica...

I Am The Cage by Allison Sweet Grant  opens with nineteen year old Elisabeth working and living in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. It's quiet and isolated and a place she can be anonymous. However, when the town has a massive snowstorm that shuts the entire town down, Elisabeth allows herself to seek out and accept help from the sheriff named Noah. When she starts to open up to Noah, Elisabeth realizes that she can't hide from her childhood trauma. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of I Am The Cage  by Allison Sweet Grant. The synopsis was intriguing, so I was thrilled to be approved to read an early copy of this young adult novel. This story was told from the perspective of the main character of Elisabeth, and it was told from the present day and flashbacks to the characters childhood of the pain she endured from a medical treatment. The alternating storylines were done exceptionally well, a...

Ghostly Getaway (Diary of an Accidental Witch, #6)  by Perdita Cargill and Honor Cargill is a children's book published on February 11, 2025. It opens with Bea and her fellow classmates on a school trip to Cadabra Castle where there are lots of activities that require teamwork. During the night, they hear lots of strange noises. Ghosts don't exist, right? A big thank you to NetGalley and Tiger Tales for approving my request for a copy. I received an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) for free in exchange for my honest review. The story is told in format of a diary of a sixth grade student who just happens to be a witch. This latest edition can be read as a stand alone book and is super cute. It's very similar to The Worst Witch  series by Jill Murphy. Despite not being the target audience, I enjoyed the story and was engaged with it from the beginning. Parts of it reminded me of when I was a kid and went to Girl Scout camp as well as Rock Eagle. It's definitely a book that...

The Meadowbrook Murders  by Jessica Goodman  is a young adult novel published on February 4, 2025. The story opens with the character Amy discovering the bodies of her classmates, Sarah and Ryan, who are undoubtedly deceased. Told from alternating perspectives of Amy and Liz, both students are trying to find out who and why someone would want to murder two students at a prestigious boarding school. I received an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this book from NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for free in exchange for my honest review. When the story first began, I thought it was taking place at a college or university before I realized it took place at a boarding school. Other than that slight confusion, this suspenseful mystery captured my attention from the very beginning and had me on the edge of my seat. Both of the main characters were vastly different from one another but were likable in their own way. Unfortunately, other than Amy and Liz, the only o...

Trust Issues  by Elizabeth McCullough Keenan and Greg Wands opens with Perry finding out that his wife had an unfortunate accident and passed away, which leaves him to tell his estranged stepchildren, Kagan and Hazel, what happened. When Kagan and Hazel offer their help with settling the estate, Perry turns them away and absconds with everything, but not before charming a wealthy widower in hopes of conning her out of money. Will Kagan and Hazel be able get their inheritance back and stop their stepfather before he takes advantage of yet another lonely woman? I'd like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for approving me to read an Advanced Readers Copy ARC of Trust Issues . I received a copy for free in exchange for my honest review. Hazel, Kagan, and Perry have to be the most unlikable characters in the history of books. There is absolutely nothing redeeming about them. In fact, I disliked the characters so much that I considered not finishing the book. The only redeeming ...

Orson and the World's Loudest Library by Laura Gehl is about a boy named Orson and how the library is one of his favorite places to read. However, on a particular day, it's super noisy. NetGalley and Astra Publishing House approved my request to read this book, which I am extremely thankful about. They provided me with an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Orson and the World's Loudest Library for free in exchange for my honest review. I love that Laura Gehl used this book to teach a lesson that libraries are used for more than reading and research. They now are more of a community center that offers all sorts of activities including book clubs. The story was well written along with being beautifully illustrated. This children's book is geared towards kids between the ages of four and eight and grade levels of preschool through third grade. The expected publication date is April 15, 2025 and is thirty-two pages in length. Five out of five stars is what I rated Orson and the...